HAVE YOU READ THE BIBLE? REALLY??

Joseph faces decisions in hardship that require faith in a God who seems to have left him. David has real enemies at every turn and is still living a sheltered life. I have been saved for over thirty years now, and I seem to have missed something. The life lessons of the bible seem to fit every part of modern life. In fact, the lessons began to do more than just fit my daily life. My daily life began to fit my lessons. I found it coming to life in unique ways. I began to notice details in the lives of the patriarchs that I had never noticed before. Copying text into my study revealed events that I had long overlooked. This should not have surprised me so much.

For years I had noticed that anointed preaching could seem like someone had been whispering my personal secrets to the pastor. Yet other people seemed to notice entirely different parts of the same message. God is able to answer our prayers in a personal way. We can see where the words of God fit into our daily life if we are regular in our prayer and study habits. Other Christians seem to be gifted with just the right words when the Holy Ghost is moving in our gatherings.

Still, I have never been able to find a church leader with a gift that was infallible. When I try to lean on a man, however gifted, I often see his failings. Usually they are wise enough to point me to the one true counselor, Jesus himself. There is scripture and prayer that can reveal the safe path in any situation. And there is always more to learn.

When I hike through a wilderness area, every outing is different, even on the most familiar paths. In Michigan I found relics of the logging past along my trails. In Canada, the wildlife was always ready with another unexpected encounter. In Arizona, the sunset is always uniquely different from the last one. The bible has more adventures than your imagination can possibly prepare you for. The bible is an interactive text, with your own life adventures coming from the author himself. He allows situations that you can handle to ease you into a comfortable walk in the mysterious realm of faith. We learn that we can become more than the sum of our natural being with God helping us.

So, you have read the bible yourself? And are you familiar with the 12 sons of Jacob, and the tribes that they formed in Israel? You know that 144,000 of those 12 tribes are sealed in the book of Revelation. Do know which of the original 12 tribes is missing from those sealed in Revelation? Do you know what tribe appeared to replace the missing one? When does Abraham reveal his understanding of the trinity? What king of Israel acts out the entire plan of salvation, and warns us of the tribulation in his adventure? What woman is a type of the ideal church? Why is there so much war and violence in the Old Testament if Jesus wants us to be peacemakers? How did a foreign soldier become known as having more faith than all of Israel?

I have seen a few interesting things, but others have more to add. I hope to take a tour of this Bible again, with your additions to the sights I have overlooked. When you follow this blog, submit feedback and comments when you see a new adventure along our path. God is providing lessons in your life too. Share the adventures you find along the road of life.

We are called to a great commission to bring the lost to Jesus Christ. We know we are to reach those who are predestinated to salvation. We cannot reach anyone who is determined to turn away, so we look for those who want to find the truth of salvation. How can we find the lost sheep of God?

I once lived on a farm with a friend who raised sheep. One day his fence failed, and I spent an hour chasing sheep. When he got home, he asked why I had wasted my time chasing them down. “All you had to do was to get a bucket of oats and they would come to you!” So forget about making rules and laws, just give the sheep the bread of life; the bible. His sheep know their master’s voice, the Word of God. If they are drawn to scripture, they are probably being drawn to Jesus, they are his sheep. If they don’t like the oats, they must be goats! So; I need to deliver more of HIS words, and less of mine.

The bible is the original interactive media. Jesus is called “the word” because this is the revelation of his heart and desire for fellowship with man. He is not dead, and his words are alive too. As you begin to understand the principles, the author will inject events in your life to test your new knowledge. You will find a person who will test your patience and longsuffering. You will be threatened by events that require faith because no doctor will have a cure. The discoveries will give you assurance and peace in the midst of spiritual warfare. The bible is your relationship with Jesus.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:1-5

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. John 1:14-15

Reading the bible should evolve a relationship with Jesus the Son, a two way communion.